Separable connector



Jan. 25, 1949. F. MATTHYssE 2,460,231

SEPARABLE CONNECTOR Filed Jan. 2s, 194s Q6 10c i 21C +7 l23C 156/ 26d 23d 2351 la@ 25;

'T1-.5. mm -flll '48 Patented Jan. 25, 1949 `4tlhlll'lED v'S"'-I`Al"iI-}S *0F l? BCE SEPARABLE CGNNECTOR 'Irvinglli'reailerick"lillatthysse,NeW'York,"N;"Y., as-

AsignortoJimrndyfEngineerng Company,'lnc., a

`mirporation ofNew York Application January 213, 1943,-1Seria1 .Nm-.4733114 My invention relates to separable electrical connectors.

It is customary in aircraft wirin-gito use Iterminal strips with threaded studs mountedthereon to -malre connections between :wire yends -to which wire terminals have been'attached. -Such erinnai strips are bulky, relatively -.heavy,and require boxes orenclosures to prevent accidental short circuits. Oneobject of -myinvehtion is-to provide a separable connector-for such application which is substantially cylindrical andthe-ving approximately Ithe outside diameter of @the insulated wire. Such aconnector'mayireadily he insulated With insulating tubing or :spa ghetti. A further object is to provi'dezsuch:za connectorwhich can be installed-directly in .t'he wiring at any desirable point.

Modern airplane construction;V provides irfor 'the assembly of sub-assemblies. For fexampie,

g sections or tail 'sectionsr are attachedtothe lit has been additionallyfound that the-'separable connectors in the-wiring at these points should be such tha they will separate at a-deflnite tenpull, usually about l0 or 12 pounds. lIhus, in case of accidents, the wires will-separaterat predetermined joints anddamage vof -wiringfand oi delicate instruments byvpullingaor shock will be avoided.

Another object of -my invention',therefore,1is to provide a separable connectoriwhich'will :separate into two sections at axpredeterminedivaiue, in a longitudinally applied tensilelpull.

A further object of my invention is toiprovide 40 a connector to which'the wires mayabef'attached with or without theuse'of solder, as desired.

Another object is to provide'a separable :connector which may con-sister two identicalimating parts. This avoids thenecessityrfor selecting a male part for one of the Wire ends-anda female part for the other.

Another object is to provide 'separableconnectors such that either halfof-one size oiseparable connector will mate properly witheither Ahalf of a diierent size. This provides'a meansifor; separably connecting a smaller cablesizetotheend of a largerone, therebycresulting,infanfeconomy of cable.

Another object :is :to provide afzseparable vecon- '55 2 nector whose .two mating kparts are each made .from a. single piece ,of metal tubing.

Anotherobject is toprovide a separable :connectorhaving theinterlocking fingers ofthe mat- 5 ing halveshardened in the.manuiacturingprocess to give v.them .agreater resiliency than that of the -original .material. This provides a connectorrthat will maintain constant spring tensionon .the current carrying surfaces.

Anotherobject is to provide a separable con-- hector whose-interlocking ingers cannot be deisturbed by the action of vmechanically crimping lthe endsoi the connector tothe wires.

.Still another object is to providea ,connector lhaving lvtwoparts,each provided .with segments interlocking with the segments of the other-part. vwhich segments vare attached and readily detached .by a `camming action ofthe segments on eachother.

.Another object of my invention toprcvide a separable connector which caribe manufactured by high speed production methods with a mini- .mum of scrap ,or material waste.

:Another object is to provide a method of mann i Luiacturing my separable connector.

I accomplish these .and otherobjeets and ob ltain' myaiewtresults as will he apparent-from the `:device:described in fthe following speciications, .particularly `pointed outin the claims, andgil- .iinstrated .in `the accompanying drawing, in 'whlch:

Fig. 'lis a 'side elevation of the'two partsfoi .my invention assembled to each other.

"FigJZ isra cross-sectionalview taken alcngthe Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of thetwo =parts shown 1in-Fig. f1.

HFig 4 is'an-end view thereof.

41ig.^-5-is a-longitudinal sectional view ofthe part illustrated "in Fig. 3 taken along line 5-15.

Fig 16 lis a side elevation v'of a separable connectorhaving twodilferently Sized parte Yassemlbled `.to each other.

1.Fig..7 isacross-,section of the same'taken along `thelneV---TI of Fig. 6..

'.Fig...8 aside elevation of a separable con- :nectorhaving two diiferentlysized parts, with tone-.part-.designed toA engage either an extra, large :or anrextra-.small f sized part.

Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 illustrate a method of formvhig.the=gconnector from atube.

EEEig.. 11:- illustrates lamethod of .cutting .the cenftralfsiet-:after the forming operation.

A`l2familig .i3 ,l illustrate :another method 3 whereby a slotted tube may be formed into the finished shape.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the darwing, reference numerals I3 and Ia designate the two parts or halves of my separable connector which may be identical halves as shown. Elements on connector half Illa corresponding to half Ill, will be similarly designated hereafter.

Each connector half is preferably formed from a tubular sleeve made of malleable metal, as indicated by the body II, and preferably provided with an enlarged head I2 formed by diametrically slotting the end thereof as at I3 to accommodate the insulation I4 covering the conductor I5 to be attached thereto.

The two connector halves are connected together by forming the extending portion of each connector half into extending fingers, two, I1

and I8, being illustrated as an example, on con-v nector half Ill.

Each nger is formed in cross-section substantially in the shape of a sector having an angular` displacement substantially equal to the space between the lingers and provided with surfaces I9 and 20 being radially formed on nger I1, and 2 I and 22 on linger I8, as shown in Fig. 4.

Surfaces 20 and 2I on fingers I1 and 8 are provided with cam steps 24 and 23, respectively. Thus surface 2l) of inger I1 drops to subesurface 25, a depth equal to the height of cam step 24, and surface 2I of ringer I8 similarly drops to subsurface 26, an equal distance.

When the two sets of fingers of halves Ill and Illa are interlocked, the cam steps 23 and 24, and 23a and 24a cause the fingers to be resiliently separated, until the cam steps 23 and 24 pass opposite cam steps 23a and 24a, whereupon the two fingers I1 and I8 will seat themselves against fingers Ila and IBa. by snapping into position.

The cam steps may be provided on all the surfaces, but only one per finger is illustrated. Thus plane surfaces I9 and ISla, 22 and 22a will ride against each other in a wiping action, thus providing good electrical contact. The cam steps are provided midway on the radially formed contacting surfaces, in the illustration.

To prevent disturbing the relationship of the fingers, when the indentations I3 and IGa are formed in securing the connector halves to the conductors, the partially extending web 21 is left between fingers I1 and I8. The web takes'the mechanical stress that might tend to spread or distort the fingers when the indentation is made. The web additionally extends to that point between the two fingers which gives the resiliency desired.

The cam steps 23 and 24 may be similarly varied in height to permit the predetermined pull required to separate the two connector halves, and to keep a satisfactory contact pressure.

I have further provided in my device for detachably interlocking two connector halves of different sizes, i. e., different diameters. Thus, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, two halves Illb and Inc may be interlocked, although their diameters are different with resultant differences in cable diameters and insulation that may be accommodated therein. The length of the radially faced surfaces 2 Ib should be substantially equal to the length of surface 26a, and similarly so with faces 2Gb and 2 Ic.

Where extra large size conductors are to be separably secured, it may be desirable to employ a plurality of steps along the engaging surfaces of the fingers to insure the necessary" gripping action. Even so, as illustrated in Fig. S, a double cam step connector half may be interlocked with a single cam step connector half. Here connector half IIld is provided with extending fingers I'Id and I8d; The interlocking surfaces are illustrated on nger I8d, where two steps 23d and 23j form `surfaces 25d, 2Id and intermediate surface 23g,

all of which are shown of equal length. In Fig. 8, a connector half Ille of smaller diameter, employing but a single cam step 23e on its engaging surface 2| e engages cam step 23j of connector half I'Ud.

Thus, connector halves employing two cam steps on a single engaging surface may be interlocked with a connector half, using a single cam step.

The connector halves as has been stated, may be made from tubular stock. The fingers may be formed in the manner illustrated in Figs. 9 to 13.

In Fig. 9, the tubular stock 30 is inserted between dies 3I and 32. Each of these dies is shaped to provide opposite faces on each set of fingers. Thus surfaces 33 and 34 of die 3i may be used to form faces I9 and 2l in fingers I1 and I8 respectively, including step 23 and face 25 of connector half I0, in Figs. 3 and 4. Similarly die 32 is provided with surfaces 35 and 36 to form the remaining faces on the fingers I1 and IG. Curved surfaces 31, 38, 39 and 40 of dies SI and 32 maintain the originally round surfaces of the fingers.

Fig. 10 illustrates the position of the two dies after the fingers are formed.

Fig. 11 illustrates the dies 4i and 42 provided with cutting-off section 43 and slot 44 for removing the material between the fingers i1 and I8 up to the web 21.

In Fig. 12, another method of forming the fingers is shown which comprises first cutting the slots 45 and 46 in tube 41. The dies 48 and 43 provided with surfaces 50 and 5I, and 52 and 53 respectively, and projections 54 and 55 are compressed until the projections 54 and 55 abut each other, as shown in Fig. 13, which completely shapes the two fingers 56 and 51. Instead of cable socket ends, one of my connector halves may -be provided with a terminal plate for attachment to a bus bar, in a manner known in the art.

The shaping operations for the ngers Il and I8 harden the relatively soft malleable metal of the tubular body II into resiliently actuated fingers. Thus, a separable connector is formed having tubular wire receiving ends ideally suited for indenting with suitable pliers or press, and having extending fingers which are sufficiently hard to avoid excessive wear on the sliding surfaces, and sufficiently resilient to provide satisfactory spring action for eflicient mechanical and electrical engagement.

In the foregoing device, I have provided a separable connector especially applicable for aviation use. 'I'he contours of my connector make possible the use of insulating tubing. Reliable means are provided for a separation of the two parts forming my connector upon application of a predetermined longitudinally applied tensile force. The two ends of the connector are ideally suited for indentation to the conductor ends. The metal of the connector is sufficiently malleable at the points of indentation and sufficiently resilient and hardened for the fingers for a portion of their length, results in a maintenance of the position of the fingers,

during the indentation of the connector body, during which time the developed stresses would ordinarily cause a distortion of the finger portions.

The manufacture of the connector from tubular stock without material waste constitutes a saving in time, material and eiort in the manufacture of the device. In addition, the contacting surfaces all have the original nish of the metal tubular stock.

I have thus described my invention, but I desire it understood that it is not conned to the particular forms or uses shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention,

and, therefore, I claim broadly the right to em-A ploy all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claims, and by means of which, objects of my invention are attained, and new results accomplished, as it is obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described are only some of the many that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish these results.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

I claim:

1. A connector for separably connecting two conductors together, consisting of two body halves, each half having means at one end thereof for attaching a conductor thereto, and slotted at the other end thereof to form resiliently extending interlocking fingers, each of said fingers having a pair of iiat radially engaging contact surfaces, one of which surfaces has a flat offset portion with a camming surface positioned at the junction of the oiset portion therewith for interlocking with a ilat oifset portion on a finger of the remaining body half, providing a at engaging electrical contact during the movement of the engaging iinger on said one surface and on its oiset portion.

2. A connector for separably connecting two a conductor thereto, and bifurcated at the remaining end to form a pair of sector-shaped fingers, each provided with a pair of radially shaped engaging surfaces forming a part of the original surface of the tubing to insure a hard surface resistant to Wear and providing good contact surfaces when the two halves are interlocked together.

3. The connector of claim 2 provided with a web of material connecting each pair of sectorshaped lingers for a portion of the distance the fingers extend from the body half, whereby the degree of resiliency of the ngers may be controlled.

IRVING FREDERICK MATTHYSSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 174,740 Read Mar. 14, 1876 535,278 Downing Mar. 5, 1895 1,278,783 Stoner Sept. 10, 1918 1,564,944 Colby Dec. 8, 1925 1,818,261 Koch et al Aug. 11, 1931 2,002,220 Douglas May 21, 1935 2,125,816 Reynolds Aug. 2, 1938 2,269,605 Smith Jan. 13, 1942 2,335,843 Ragoi Nov. 30, 1943 v FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 11,873 Great Britain Mar. 8, 1906 20,685 Great Britain Sept. 30, 1898 140,033 Great Britain Mar. 18, 1920 184,361 Great Britain May 1, 1907 365,077 Great Britain Jan. 14, 1932 329,080 France May 18, 1903 

